Reduced points for surcharges - QF

[wallacej]

Got this at 11.28pm tonight...... apologies if already posted.
......


Qantas Frequent Flyer is pleased to announce it will reduce the number of points required for the surcharges, fees and taxes component of domestic Qantas Classic Award flights in Australia and New Zealand.

As Qantas and Jetstar have recently announced a reduction in fuel surcharges, the total points required to pay for the surcharges, fees and taxes component of these flights have been reduced.

Effective from midnight tonight, Tuesday 23 December, the surcharges, fees and taxes points level will reduce to 5,500 points from 6,000 points per sector.

This will apply to:

• Australian domestic flights operated by Qantas, QantasLink and Jetstar
• New Zealand domestic flights operated by Qantas.

Domestic itineraries that include domestic partner airlines are not eligible for payment of surcharges, fees and taxes with points. Points payment for surcharges, fees and taxes is also not available on international services operated by Qantas or partner airlines, or domestic flights that are combined with international flights in the one booking.

So now is a great time to book a Qantas Classic Award flight.

Norris Carter
Group General Manager Loyalty

 

[garyjohn951]

What a Bl...dy joke.

Fuel is the cheapest it has been for 10 years. The Fuel surcharge should be NIL.

Just goes to show how all the cough they have told us over the last few years.

 

[AnonymousCoward]

What a Bl...dy joke.

Fuel is the cheapest it has been for 10 years. The Fuel surcharge should be NIL.

Just goes to show how all the cough they have told us over the last few years.

It's a joke about the reduction - agreed.

But I believe QANTAS is still hedged at around $100/barrel or similar. They did report that they expected to spend more this year on oil than last year.

 

[Mal]

They did report that they expected to spend more this year on oil than last year.

Is that on a like-for-like basis I wonder? Qantas wouldn't fudge figures would they?

 

[lovetravellingoz]

Well yes it is down, but the amount of the decrease is a joke.

It is only a token decrease.

 

[garyjohn951]

Well yes it is down, but the amount of the decrease is a joke.

It is only a token decrease.

And they have NOT passed it on, on some fares

Last week Mel-HKG return was Red-eye at 1298 return. The Fuel surcharge drops $15 each way , so fare today should be $1268 return.

NOT LIKELY, it is now $1295

 

[Mal]

And they have NOT passed it on, on some fares

Last week Mel-HKG return was Red-eye at 1298 return. The Fuel surcharge drops $15 each way , so fare today should be $1268 return.

NOT LIKELY, it is now $1295

Fares from (maybe also to?) HKG have fuel fines based on government approval. So it will change, but not at the same time as most other ex-AU fares change. See http://www.cad.gov.hk/english/fuel_surcharge.htm

Also, a sleight of hand Qantas uses is to not adjust ex-overseas fuel fines (ie fares ex Singapore).

 

[garyjohn951]

Fares from (maybe also to?) HKG have fuel fines based on government approval. So it will change, but not at the same time as most other ex-AU fares change. See Summary of Passenger & Cargo Fuel Surcharges

Also, a sleight of hand Qantas uses is to not adjust ex-overseas fuel fines (ie fares ex Singapore).

MEDIA RELEASE

The new surcharges, which will apply to tickets issued on or after Tuesday 23 December 2008, will be:
International ($A one way from Australia):
UK and Europe - New surcharge $160. Previously $190
Mainland USA, Canada, South America, South Africa and India - New surcharge $130. Previously $150
Asia, Pacific, Honolulu - New surcharge $95. Previously $110
New Zealand - New surcgarhe $55. Previously $65

I don't see any asterick with exceptions from the above statement.
Straight out deception as far as I am concerned.

 

[Mal]

I don't see any asterick with exceptions from the above statement.
Straight out deception as far as I am concerned.

Have a look at http://www.qantas.com.au/agents/dyn/qf/policies/YQFuelSurcharge231208.pdf


I think the surcharge was originally less to HKG than other Asian cities.

 

[oz_mark]

Have a look at http://www.qantas.com.au/agents/dyn/qf/policies/YQFuelSurcharge231208.pdf


I think the surcharge was originally less to HKG than other Asian cities.

Surcharges on flight in and out of HKG dropped from USD106 to USD64 around the beginning of the month

 

[garyjohn951]

Surcharges on flight in and out of HKG dropped from USD106 to USD64 around the beginning of the month

Ok, see your point.

However it is interesting that QF didn't "highlight" that in the media, otherwise there would have been a hue and cry " why not drop ALL of then by that percentage...............

 

[markis10]

They must be reading the forums, email just in from QF:

Qantas Frequent Flyer is pleased to announce a further reduction in the number of points required for the surcharges, fees and taxes on domestic Qantas and Jetstar Classic Award flights in Australia and New Zealand.
Effective from midnight tonight, Wednesday 7 January 2009, the points required for surcharges, fees and taxes for Classic Awards will reduce from 5,500 points to 3,000 points per sector.

The Classic Award fares have not changed, in fact they have remained the same since 2005. You simply have the option to redeem points at the newly reduced rate for surcharges, fees and taxes or pay them with cash, as you always have.

So using all points for your Classic Award flight and surcharges, fees and taxes just got cheaper.

 

[JohnK]

They did report that they expected to spend more this year on oil than last year.

Doesn't Qantas say this every year while their profits at the same time are increasing?

 

[zzyss]

Sorry to bump an old thread, but thought my whinge would be more appropriate here than in a new thread.

My in-laws flew Qantas for the first time. They're accustomed to Korean Airlines and are members of the Skypass program, and so were used to being allowed to lenient treatment regarding baggage.

On their return trip though, they discovered that the baggage limit had been reduced from whatever (30KG?) down to 25KG! They had no problem with their flight over with British Airways...

I have no idea when this changed (my last overseas trip was April '08 with Jetstar, but I can't remember how much the allowance was) but in line with the above, despite the reduced fuel surcharge, value is definitely much worse than it used to be.

 

[nlagalle]

On their return trip though, they discovered that the baggage limit had been reduced from whatever (30KG?) down to 25KG! They had no problem with their flight over with British Airways...

I have no idea when this changed (my last overseas trip was April '08 with Jetstar, but I can't remember how much the allowance was) but in line with the above, despite the reduced fuel surcharge, value is definitely much worse than it used to be.

Travelling in Y has never had 30kg when travelling via Asia. my first trip in 95 was 20kg. last trip to PEK in July was 20kg (although we had additional allowances via a special letter)

 

[Dave Noble]

Sorry to bump an old thread, but thought my whinge would be more appropriate here than in a new thread.

My in-laws flew Qantas for the first time. They're accustomed to Korean Airlines and are members of the Skypass program, and so were used to being allowed to lenient treatment regarding baggage.

On their return trip though, they discovered that the baggage limit had been reduced from whatever (30KG?) down to 25KG! They had no problem with their flight over with British Airways...

I have no idea when this changed (my last overseas trip was April '08 with Jetstar, but I can't remember how much the allowance was) but in line with the above, despite the reduced fuel surcharge, value is definitely much worse than it used to be.

The international economy allowance is ( and has been for a long time ) 20 Kg unless on a trip going to /through North America. There has been no change. If they have previously gamed the system hoping to get away without paying access, that is a gamble and no grounds for complaint if they get charged

Allowances ( currently ) are 20/30/40 Kg for international trips not including North America and 2 Pieces of max 32 Kg each otherwise

Dave
Dave

 

[zzyss]

The international economy allowance is ( and has been for a long time ) 20 Kg unless on a trip going to /through North America. There has been no change. If they have previously gamed the system hoping to get away without paying access, that is a gamble and no grounds for complaint if they get charged

Allowances ( currently ) are 20/30/40 Kg for international trips not including North America and 2 Pieces of max 32 Kg each otherwise

Dave
Dave

Sorry, I don't quite understand your post. Your first paragraph states that the allowance is 20kg unless you go through North America, but then your second paragraph says 20/30/40 - what is that dependent on?

Does it vary from airline to airline?

I'm probably wrong, but I was always under the impression that the limit depends on the distance that you travelled rather than the country, i.e. Australia to Asia would be 20kg, but further destinations such as US and Europe would be 30kg...

 

[oz_mark]

Sorry, I don't quite understand your post. Your first paragraph states that the allowance is 20kg unless you go through North America, but then your second paragraph says 20/30/40 - what is that dependent on?

Does it vary from airline to airline?

I'm probably wrong, but I was always under the impression that the limit depends on the distance that you travelled rather than the country, i.e. Australia to Asia would be 20kg, but further destinations such as US and Europe would be 30kg...

20/30/40 refers to economy/business/first class. Baggage limits are not based on distance.

There are some variations based on limits, in addition airlines have differeing degrees of leniency based on how they handle over limits, and they have typically got tighter on this in the last few years.

 

[nlagalle]

Sorry, I don't quite understand your post. Your first paragraph states that the allowance is 20kg unless you go through North America, but then your second paragraph says 20/30/40 - what is that dependent on?

Does it vary from airline to airline?

I'm probably wrong, but I was always under the impression that the limit depends on the distance that you travelled rather than the country, i.e. Australia to Asia would be 20kg, but further destinations such as US and Europe would be 30kg...

20/30/40 is on economy/business/First

The limit has nothing to do with the distance. Europe via Asia is 20kg, Europe via the US is baggage size - although i do believe QF are changing this to weight based as well.

 

[oz_mark]

20/30/40 is on economy/business/First

The limit has nothing to do with the distance. Europe via Asia is 20kg, Europe via the US is baggage size - although i do believe QF are changing this to weight based as well.

I thought that they were staying with the piece based system through the US, but that there were additional limitations on the weight of the pieces being introduced.